


Innocent smile

by GylfiDekavage



Category: Original Work
Genre: Execution, Gen, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21582730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GylfiDekavage/pseuds/GylfiDekavage





	Innocent smile

"To abundance!", roared the fat man with the golden robe around his neck and raised his cup full of wine to the chorus of male and female voices shouting their agreement. Servants carried trays of the most sinful of meals, the size of the banquet was less disgusting than its content. "To our warriors who work every sunrise to make wealth possible!", Emperor Faulus exclaimed furthermore and the four knights of honor emptied their cups under thunderous applause. "My sword tore through more flesh tonight than you will fill your paunches with!", laughed Sir Ria and flexed her extraordinary muscled arm, earning herself mixed returns from the nobles. Most of the men were fond of the strong man-like woman, while a few jealous specimens hated the thought that a woman was at her rank. Her male title was a taunt towards her counterparts which she took on at her accolade after leading her posse to a devastating victory in her first war. She was a respected fearsome close combatant and liked to show off her superiority to aspiring knights in fistfights and mano e mano battles with the sword. The sides of her head were shaven while the wild hair on top of it was braided into a rebellious tail that fell to her back. She was very proud of her look and inspired multiple women across the land to become as powerful as her. "Hear, hear, my dame is challenging our Lord!", laughed Namasto, a dark-skinned noble from the neighbor land, a successful business partner and friend of Emperor Faulus. Sir Ria laughed loudly and derisively, guiding her cup to her mouth and letting red wine flow into her throat until the cup was empty. Surprising everyone in the process, she let her arm drop onto the table, planting the cup with a satisfying bang. "I am not a dame and know my deeds, Namasto. And so does my Lord." Faulus was very fond of his female warrior, she was successful, influential, reliable and inspiring more and more of his folk to become like her - strong. The more of the common folk tried to be like her, the more capable fighters he would have at his disposal for a future war. "I do, Sir Ria, but if you slew a ten thousand pounds worth of men today, I would guzzle twenty thousand pounds just to prove you wrong!" More laughter emerged from the table; Sir Ria raised her fist: "And we will follow you loyally to the grave of crapulousness!" Thunderous applause while mugs of wine were emptied. Maids in blue dresses wearing the Emperor's emblem carried spiked pigs onto the empty trays on the table, receiving further roars of approval. Their expressions were quite different, some were smiling, some looked shameful and embarrassed seeing the festival of false desires unfurling in front of them. Bottoms were being grabbed, wine jars were being emptied and mouths bit down on the unholy delicacies on the table. Juice dripped from the meat and some of the servants scurried off while some of them stayed to enjoy the nobles' attention.

"History will forever remember the rule of your Majesty!", swore Emperor Faulus' personal accountant and headmaster of the castle's chronicle. He was a small man with a laughably high voice, but he was under the Emperor's protection and untouchable. He loved to abuse the power given to him and myths told that he sentenced more failed servants to death than Sir Ria killed foes in battles. Knight Sir Aaron and noblewoman Dame Aria clapped in sync and chuckled at each other. Sir Terrence lifted the servant next to him up and sat her down on his lap, she made a delighted sound in surprise. Willingly, she chewed and swallowed the fork of fat pork that was forced into her mouth, she grinned when the men raised their silverware at the 'brave' wench. Faced by the laughter and approval, she stepped onto the table and pulled up her dress with a swift movement of her hand. Faulus shook his head and pointed his thumb down, even when the girl drank up a mug of wine and the men raised theirs to her, Ria understood her Lord's gesture. "Did you enjoy your short reign of laughter?", she asked with her deadly grin while climbing the table to face the girl, whose face lost all color in an instant. Ria grabbed her arm and pulled her into the blade o the dagger she had pulled from her garments. The sharp metal pierced right through the girl's flat stomach and forced a terrified scream out of her that was muffled by Ria's hand over her mouth. Her lifeless body dropped into the knight's arms and Faulus nodded at Ria, gesturing her to dispose of the brazen maiden. Having taken a life, the knight stepped down from the table with a satisfied grin and walked away from the noisy celebration. Carrying the limp body over her shoulders, she hummed a battle song while passing the room in which the meals were prepared. She threw a glance into it and found a maiden on the ground, visibly determined to clean it with wipes. Impressed, Sir Ria stopped and watched the girl for a few moments, the feast was happening and she was doing her duties. Nobody would punish her if she was out there, feasting with the other maidens, but she was here. 

Slowly, Ria closed in on the girl and eyed her up from head to toe. Her brown hair was long and sweaty from all the work she was doing, her arms visibly tired from brushing the stone ground. The knight could not make out any features; they were hidden by the messy open hair, but she could make out the girl's slender figure - she was not eating well whatever her Lord fed her. "Stand up and show yourself, maiden!", Ria commanded, watching the girl jump in surprise and bounce up to her feet to stand at attention with a stern expression. She had a face gifted to her by the Goddess of beauty, while her lips were thin and white as that very God's robe. She could not have been older than 16 or 17 years. One look into her eyes betrayed her longing for a bite to eat and a place to rest her head. Ria felt something that reminded her of pity, overcome her. "What is your name and heritage, servant girl?", she demanded to know and the girl wasted no time wiping the hair out of her face and answering with a voice that was supposed to be strong: "I am a servant to Your Majesty, the Emperor, no name has been given to me." She bowed to Ria, and the knight wiped her nose. The girl was unphased by the dead body over her superior's shoulders, and, judging by her actions, she was obedient to death. Following the girl's answer, Ria immediately took a liking to the girl. "Why are you here? All the other servants are out there feasting.", the knight asked again with a stern, almost threatening voice, but the girl's mouth or nose did not move an inch. No nervous fluttering, no trembling in her stick legs. "I was ordered to clean the kitchen room's floors during the banquet. After it is done, I have to clean its hall. It is my duty." Ria made another step and slid her hand up the girl's livid cheek, she could count every single bone on that small face that now smiled up at her. That innocent smile did something to Sir Ria. Her stomach felt strangely tight and her eyes felt oddly wet from one second to the other. She released the girl's cheek and left her standing, turning around to take her eyes off that blood-freezing smile. "I would like to give you something to eat, but this is the noble's food and the Emperor's kitchen master will notice every bit that is gone and punish you for it." Ria could tell that the girl was still smiling by only hearing her voice: "I understand. Thank you for your kindness, Sir!" Pushing the corpse further up her shoulders, Ria tried to get away from this girl as quickly as possible. 

"Sir Ria, you were gone for some time!" Ria was greeted with laughter as she entered the dining hall again. The corpse on her shoulders was gone, instead, she was carrying a chicken leg in her hand and bit down on it upon arrival. "I took my time to breathe and steal from the kitchen. It appeared unfair to me to be away from the source of strength for so long!", she laughed and raised her arm, loud voices roaring approval. "And you took all that time eating a single chicken leg you barely touched, Sir?", Sir Aaron taunted the female who simply shook off his mockery. "Haha, you think I waste my time on one chicken leg? The other one is already inside!" She slapped her muscled stomach, and the maids on the laps of the noblemen applauded their heroine who took her place next to the Emperor with an obedient expression. "I hope I do not have to suffer your wrath, My lord, for raiding your kitchen of two chicken legs.", she apologized, but Faulus shook his head with a content grin. He was very merciful while eating. "If there is anyone in my empire who has nothing to fear, it is you, Sir Ria." The knight showed her teeth in a winning smile and looked back at the door from which she came from.

The little maid was back on the ground. The chicken leg's juices were gone, washed off in the water place nearby, but the servant girl still felt it in her mouth and tummy. For the first time in the young maid's life, she had eaten something noble, something the Emperor ate. Her insides felt warm, and even though her hands were numb from the cold water, there was a heat spreading from her chest. This day, she met someone with a heart. Someone who saw her hard work and appreciated it. She looked up to the ceiling and spoke a prayer to the Gods to treat her mother well. "Hey!", yelled a servant who passed the kitchen. "Get back to work, sloth!" 

The girl smiled.


End file.
